The Sound & The Journey: Recent Episodes
Ean Miles Kessler
Inspiration. Craft. Process. These interviews span the work of playwrights from across Chicago, examining their process, their artistry, and what sparks their creativity. It’s a deep dive into the work of some of the most exciting writers today. Hear from them how they write, what they’re fascinated by, and what sustains their practice.
This episode, which was recorded live as a part of Chicago Dramatists’ quarterly Fireside Chat Series, features Jacob Janssen, Artistic Producer of The COOP in Brooklyn, NY. He spoke with Network Director Ean Miles Kessler about how he interrogates the text of a new play; the tremendous importance of creating new work; and the supreme value of a filled seat in a theater
Jacob Janssen is a director and producer. Jacob has served in administrative positions at several theatres including Studio Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre and Mosaic Theater in Washington, DC as well as American Theatre Company in Chicago. Jacob’s work as a director has included projects with Baltimore Center Stage, Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, The Goodman, About Face, and others. He is particularly interested in international collaboration. This interest lead to the development of projects with The Goethe Institute, Instituto de Cervantes, the Embassies of Austria, Brazil, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland. Jacob was the Artistic Director of The Plimoth Players, the Original Practice Shakespeare company resident at Plimoth Plantation, in Plymouth, MA. In 2018, Jacob was awarded a DCASE grant by the Mayor of Chicago for artistic development. He holds an MFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University and a BFA in Acting from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
SELECTED CREDITS – DIRECTING: Fuga Mundi (Baltimore Center Stage); Carrie: The Musical, 10,000 Grey (Studio Theatre); This Bitter Earth (About Face); A Bright New Boise, The Maids, Richard III, Trouble in Mind, Contractions (The Theatre School); Supplication, Strangers on a Train (Source Festival); Camp Rock (Adventure Theatre-MTC); The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Plimoth Players); ASSISTANT DIRECTING: A View From The Bridge (The Goodman); Prospero’s Storm (Chicago Playworks); Red Speedo (Studio Theatre);The Totalitarians (Woolly Mammoth); Little House Christmas (Adventure Theatre-MTC); Unnecessary Farce, Footloose (Cape Playhouse); PRODUCING: Belleville, Bad Jews, Choir Boy, Laugh, Jumpers For Goalposts, The Wolfe Twins, Murder Ballad, Terminus, The Apple Family Plays, Tribes, Cock (Studio Theatre), The London Merchant (Shakespeare Theatre)
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
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"In One Place..." by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
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This episode, recorded live as a part of Chicago Dramatists’ quarterly Fireside Chat Series, features Chicago Dramatists Resident Playwright Emilio Williams, and Alexandra Meda, Artistic Director of Teatro Luna West. They sat down with Network Director Ean Miles Kessler to discuss their creative process when working together, theater as a healing practice, and the unique role artists will play as we begin to come together again, after quarantine.
Emilio Williams is a bilingual (Spanish/English) award-winning writer and educator. His critically-acclaimed plays have been produced in Argentina, Estonia, France, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington DC. His nonfiction work has been published in Hinterland Magazine and Imagine Theatres, among other publications. Emilio has lectured around the world, and taught in several U.S. universities, including DePaul University, Columbia College Chicago, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Georgia State University. He has been a guest artist at the University of Portland, Mary Washington University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds a BA in Film and Video and MFA in Writing. He is a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists where he is also a faculty member. He divides his time between Chicago and Paris. www.emiliowilliams.com
As a stage director, culture-producer, disrupter for social justice, and a digital media creator, Alexandra Meda generates original works through collective/ensemble practices that are engaged both in person and virtually with artists and change-makers globally. As a devised theatre-maker, she nurtures female-driven spaces that center Women Of Color in vibrant collaborations between the community, performers, scholars, designers, thinkers, and artists. Positively shifting how we interact with, look at, and value the femme body is fundamental across her work. She serves as the Artistic Director for Teatro Luna West, a national Women of Color collective that tours internationally with ensembles founded in 2000 (Chicago) and 2014 (LA). She has a forthcoming book project on the relationship between collaboration, failure, and innovation with Dr. Liza Ann Acosta. www.alexandracollaborates.com
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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In this episode Mickle Maher, founding member of Theatre Oobleck, spoke with Network Director Ean Miles Kessler, about the root and start of Oobleck, the importance of having a touch of chaos in your work, and what has sustained him and kept him going during the pandemic. Mickle also spoke about the process of working without a director, the value of deadlines, and the emergence and rise of radio theater.
Called "One of the most original voices in American theater today" by The Houston Chronicle, Mickle Maher is a cofounder of Chicago’s Theater Oobleck, and teaches playwriting and related subjects at the University of Chicago. Plays include There is a Happiness That Morning Is; Song About Himself; An Apology for the Course and Outcome of Certain Events Delivered by Doctor John Faustus on This His Final Evening; The Cabinet; The Hunchback Variations; The Strangerer; Spirits to Enforce; Lady Madeline; The Pine; and An Actor Prepares (an adaptation of Stanislavsky's seminal book commissioned by the University of Chicago.) Recent works include the book and lyrics for the musical Small Ball, commissioned by the Catastrophic Theatre of Houston and Daryl Morey, the General Manager of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, and It Is Magic, a sequel to Macbeth, produced by Theater Oobleck in Chicago.
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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"In One Place..." by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
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In this episode, Mark Larson, author of Ensemble: An Oral History of Chicago Theatre sat down with Network Director Ean Miles Kessler. Mark shared some of the insights he learned while writing his book, what makes the Chicago theater scene so vibrant, and where our community might be headed. He also discussed the legacy of Russ Tutterow, and the importance of creating spaces where artists are free to take risks and make fresh discoveries.
Mark Larson is the author of Ensemble: An Oral History of Chicago Theater, for which he conducted over 300 interviews with Chicago theater artists. He is a retired educator with over 30 years of teaching experience, including at Evanston Township High School and in education programs at the Field Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo, and National Louis University. He holds a doctorate in educational leadership and wrote two books in the field of education, Making Conversation and, with B.J. Wagner, Situations.
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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"In One Place..." by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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In the second episode of season two, Resident Playwright Sandra Delgado sat down with Network Director Ean Miles Kessler to discuss her artistic process, the link she feels between motherhood and creativity, and the importance of telling Latinx stories. She also touched on how her playwriting journey began, the importance of self care, and the influences that have shaped her as a dramatist.
Sandra Delgado is a Colombian-American writer and actor best known for her play La Havana Madrid, which enjoyed sold-out runs at Steppenwolf and Goodman Theatre, and most recently in a co-production with Teatro Vista and Collaboraction. La Havana Madrid received recognition as one of the best plays of 2017 by New City Chicago and Time Out Chicago, and the Time-Out Audience Award for Best New Work. It was an Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists (ALTA) nominee for the Maria Irene Fornes New Play Award and ALTA Award winner for Best Production, and was featured in the New York Times and CNN. Acting highlights include La Ruta, Motherf**ker with the Hat (Steppenwolf Theatre), Oedipus El Rey (The Public Theater), 2666 (Goodman Theatre) and Mojada (Victory Gardens). Currently she is working on "The Boys and the Nuns" as an artist in residence at Loyola University. Sandra is a founding ensemble member of Collaboraction and Teatro Vista, and is one of the 20 women of Chicago arts and culture honored in Kerry James Marshall's mural Rushmore at the Chicago Cultural Center. Most recently, she was named a 2021 United States Artist Fellow.
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US
"In One Place..." by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US
In the Season two premiere of "The Sound & The Journey" we have a concise interview featuring two of our upcoming guests: Resident Playwright Sandra Delgado and Mark Larson, author of "Ensemble An Oral History of Chicago Theater." This episode is a recording of a live panel discussion Chicago Dramatists held prior to the quarantine. Featured were three guest speakers: Resident Playwrights Sandra Delgado and Kristin Idaszak, and Steppenwolf alum Sandra Marquez. The evening was moderated by Mark Larson, and the event was hosted by Open Books, located in Chicago's West Loop. Full episodes featuring interviews with both Sandra and Mark are slated for later this season.
Sandra Delgado is a Colombian-American writer and actor best known for her play La Havana Madrid, which enjoyed sold-out runs at Steppenwolf and Goodman Theatre, and most recently in a co-production with Teatro Vista and Collaboraction. La Havana Madrid received recognition as one of the best plays of 2017 by New City Chicago and Time Out Chicago, and the Time-Out Audience Award for Best New Work. It was an Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists (ALTA) nominee for the Maria Irene Fornes New Play Award and ALTA Award winner for Best Production, and was featured in the New York Times and CNN. Acting highlights include La Ruta, Motherf**ker with the Hat (Steppenwolf Theatre), Oedipus El Rey (The Public Theater), 2666 (Goodman Theatre) and Mojada (Victory Gardens). Currently she is working on "The Boys and the Nuns" as an artist in residence at Loyola University. Sandra is a founding ensemble member of Collaboraction and Teatro Vista, and is one of the 20 women of Chicago arts and culture honored in Kerry James Marshall's mural Rushmore at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Mark Larson is the author of Ensemble: An Oral History of Chicago Theater, for which he conducted over 300 interviews with Chicago theater artists. He is a retired educator with over 30 years of teaching experience, including at Evanston Township High School and in education programs at the Field Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo, and National Louis University. He holds a doctorate in educational leadership and wrote two books in the field of education, Making Conversation and, with B.J. Wagner, Situations.
Open Books is a nonprofit that provides literacy experiences for tens of thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and the sale of new and used donated books. This event was hosted in their West Loop location, at 651 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60661. Find out more by visiting their website at: www.open-books.org
The music used in this podcast is:
"Mine Cafe" by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US
"In One Place..." by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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In Season 1, Episode 4, I interview Resident Playwright and Tutterow Alum Derek McPhatter, a recent recipient of a 2021 Creative Capital Award. We spoke about his journey to playwriting, the influence and importance of genre in his work, and how for Derek, writing is a vibrant and essential form of resistance.
Derek Lee McPhatter is a playwright, screenwriter, and librettist, who's work has been presented by The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Prop Thtr, Otherworld Theatre, Lyric Opera, and The Drama League among other organizations. He is a founding playwright with NYC's Obie Winning The Fire This Time Festival, and is the Literary Manager of Otherworld Theatre. Derek is a Region Ambassador for Chicago, for the Dramatists Guild. He has a Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College and a Master of Arts in Humanities from New York University.
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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in one place... by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
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This is the second installment of a two-part episode, where I spoke to the writers whose work was recently showcased as a part of our Network Playwright 10 Minute Play Festival. In this episode I speak to Network Members Leah Barsanti, Justin Sikes, and Lani Montreal about their process, their craft, and what brought them to Chicago Dramatists, and the Network Playwright Program.
In Part I of this episode (which was released last month), I interviewed Network Writers Toccara Castleman, Mike Frazel, and Mary Parisoe. See our previous episode to listen.
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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in one place... by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US
This is the first installment of a two-part episode, where I spoke to the writers whose work was recently showcased as a part of our Network Playwright 10 Minute Play Festival. In this episode I speak to Network Members Toccara Castleman, Mike Frazel, and Mary Parisoe about their process, their craft, and what brought them to Chicago Dramatists, and the Network Playwright Program.
In Part II of this episode (which will be released next month), I'll interview Network Writers Leah Barsanti, Lani Montreal, and Justin Sikes, who all had work in the Network Playwright 10 Minute Play Festival as well.
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US
mine cafe by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US
in one place... by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US
In this episode, we interviewed Chicago Dramatists Tutterow Fellow Kimberly Dixon-Mays. I spoke to Kimberly about the intersection of poetry and playwriting in her work, her artistic process, and how the world at large affects a writer’s craft.
Tutterow Fellow Kimberly Dixon-Mays is a poet, playwright and performer. She has earned degrees in theater, gender and ethnic studies, has held teaching assistantships, and attended numerous workshops and residencies. She has seen first-hand how environments of safety and community can be transformative for writers.
The music used in this podcast is:
L’envol Du Papillon by Patchworker f.k.a. [friendzoned] | https://soundcloud.com/patchworker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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mine cafe by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US
in one place... by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeen
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US